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Excitement is building at the Otago Youth Wellness Trust as staff prepare to host a community celebration of the trust’s 30th birthday.
Otago Youth Wellness Trust (OYWT) chief executive Carmen Batchelor said the public celebration, to be held next Friday, October 23, would “honour three decades of community, connection and impact”.
It would also pay tribute to the enduring legacy of the trust’s late patron Dame Pat Harrison.
“As part of the day, we will officially launch our tukutuku and our emerging rangatahi art mural, as well as enjoying a whānau-friendly afternoon of live performances, kapa haka, activities, kai and connection,” Ms Batchelor said.
“It is going to be a wonderful celebration, and a chance for us to look back on the 30 years of mahi we have done in support of our rangatahi,” she said.
“And also to acknowledge the incredible community support we have been lucky enough to receive.
“It’s great for us to be able to open up the space to people who have been touched by OYWT over the years.”
Ms Batchelor said the whole OYWT team and rangatahi had created the tukutuku, which would be dedicated on the day.
“It is a symbol of shared effort, whakapapa and commitment to the rangatahi and whānau we serve,” she said.
The Otago Youth Wellness Trust was founded by Dame Patricia Harrison in 1996, with the support of many others, who saw the need for a local service that would ensure rangatahi with complex needs could access the support they needed.
Services include a wrap-around casework service, for rangatahi aged 11-18 years with multiple needs, to provide in-depth support and individual plans.
“The rangatahi we support through this service may be facing a range of challenges, including high anxiety, mental health issues and neurodiversity, so our caseworkers are very skilled in working with them,” she said.
OYWT also holds a contract, titled “Fast Track”, for working with youth offenders, referred by the police.
“This is a very multi-disciplinary space, as we have an opportunity to support these young people in the youth justice space,” Ms Batchelor said.
The trust’s mobile School Attendance Service works to improve the attendance and engagement with school of children aged 6-16 years. This can include enrolling rangatahi in school or alternative education, as well as helping with transition to further training or employment.
“Our staff work in close partnership with schools and walk alongside the young people on their journey to re-engaging with education,” she said.
Ms Batchelor said the trust also supported children and rangatahi through hands-on projects under its Manaaki Programme, led by youth worker Mark O’Donnell, with the generous support of Cook Brothers Construction.
“Being able to take part in engaging activities in a safe space, while learning new skills, is a great experience for our rangatahi,” she said.
The OYWT is a not-for-profit charity, which provides its services free of charge to the community. It is funded through government contracts, charitable grants, and individual donations.
Ms Batchelor said the trust’s greatest strength was in its multi-generational team of 29 staff — a mix of social workers, occupational therapists, and youth workers.
“It is great to have such a diverse team of staff as we work to support our young people to move forward with their lives.”
- The Otago Youth Wellness Trust’s 30th anniversary celebration will be held on Friday, October 23, from 3pm-6pm at the trust centre, 20 Parry St West (near the Hocken Library). The public are welcome to attend.